Succumb to the magnetism of the Rolex Milgauss

Priced out of the market by its high quality, the technologically advanced
Rolex Milgauss had poor initial sales but is now much sought-after by
collectors

Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf gave watches to prisoners of war

By Paul Maudsley, Head of Bonhams Watch Department

12:56PM BST 25 Sep 2013

Not every auction hot property was an immediate success, as the history of the Rolex Milgauss shows.

However, poor initial sales are obviously a bonus should a watch achieve popularity later, as Rolex constantly proves.

The Milgauss, first launched in 1954 under the reference 6541 and then replaced by the reference 1019 in 1960, was a significant technical advance over conventional watches.

While good contemporary watches were able to work within magnetic fields of between 60 and 70 Gauss, the Milgauss was able to keep working in the presence of much stronger fields – up to 1,000 Gauss. Unfortunately, the targeted professional market (power-plant workers and lab researchers) that might have had a practical need for such watches tended not to have high enough incomes to afford them.

Sales were too low to be of much use to Rolex but they were steady enough for the model to remain in the catalogue until 1988.

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In previous auctions, we have featured Milgauss watches that had originally remained unsold until 1979, despite a manufacture date of 1970 – an extraordinary nine years on the shelf.

Discontinued in 1988, the Milgauss was arguably the worst-selling model from the entire Rolex catalogue. But the quality that priced it out of the market when it was released and its comparative rarity has made it much sought after in the current collectors’ market.

For our December 4, 2013, Fine Watches & Wristwatches auction at Bonhams New Bond Street, this Ref:1019 Milgauss from 1968 has auction estimates of £8,000 to £12,000.

Some turn around in fortune: judge for yourself at SalonQP.

Tickets are available from £20. Call +44 (0)20 7428 2916 or visit www.salonqp.com to buy yours.